--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Steve and Diane" <steve261@i...>
wrote:
> Now to my question.......................I am a bit behind in
>reading the list, but I have noticed a couple of post regarding the
>use and/or excessive use of hairball treatment (laxitive). I was
>just wondering if ferrets can become dependent on the use of
>hairball treatments meaning can their digestive tract become
>dependent on the use of hairball treatments (laxitive) making it
>difficult for them to poop without the use of the hairball
>treatment. I'm not really knowledgeable when it comes to ferret
>digestive systems, but I am very familiar with human digestive
>systems and I know that over time if we use to many laxitives our
>colon will become dependent on the
<snip>

First, welcome and thank you for kind comments on the list. Now
second, this is purely opinion. The mechanism of action is different
in human laxatives and in hairball rememdey. Human laxatives are
chemical and for the most part, attract water to the bowel to flush
it. Hairball rememdy is mechanical, it lubricates being petroleum
based. I would worry about prolapse rectum from long term abuse of
hairball remedy because the straining keeps everything toned up back
there, but I doubt we would see the dependence you refer to. Again,
I'm just thinking out loud here... lets see what the vets say.